It is heretofore been difficult to automatically and mechanically perform the finish sewing operating along the free end of a looped or tubular workpiece article. This problem is only enhanced when operating along the open edge of a stretch type material. Devices as shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,723,781 and 3,736,895, although directed toward the problem, have not offered a complete solution. Usually, the tensioning force applied by such devices is not responsive to the particular workpiece being sewn. Instead, a fixed degree of movement is imparted to the movable tensioning roller. As is appreciated, however, varying sized workpieces necessarily require varying degrees of movement of the tensioning roller depending upon the particular size of the garment being sewn. Therefore, the technical problem remaining to be solved is that of sensitively controlling the amount or degree of circumferential tension to be applied to the tubular workpiece edge while still allowing for quick and easy insertion and removal of the workpiece from the tensioning device. The technical problem to be solved is enhanced when considering the tensioning devices are to be applied to an automatic sewing machine.